Fatal Fury: First Contact

Fatal Fury: First Contact brings to the Neo Geo Pocket Color one of the most distinctive traits of its series: combat across two planes. In addition to regular forward-and-back movement, the player can sidestep into an adjacent line, dodging an attack and then striking back from an unexpected angle. This exact mechanic set Fatal Fury apart from the competition even in arcades, and in handheld form it works surprisingly well, since the console's precise joystick can tell a sidestep apart from ordinary movement. The roster draws from later entries in the series, so alongside Terry and Andy Bogard you'll find Mai Shiranui, Joe Higashi, and Geese Howard, each with their own set of special moves executed with classic motion inputs.

Visually, the game takes the same approach as the other SNK fighters on this platform: compressed proportions, expressive faces, and clean silhouettes that stay legible even on a small screen. The backgrounds reference familiar locations from the series and carry enough color to feel like genuine arenas rather than wallpaper. Matches run smoothly with no visible slowdown, the controls respond instantly, and the distinction between light and heavy attacks comes down to holding the button, something players pick up within a few rounds. The music draws on the series' well-known themes and keeps their brisk, slightly rough edge even in chiptune form.

At the time, the game was received as a solid, if somewhat leaner, addition to the console's fighting lineup, since its roster and mode count were more modest than competing titles from the same publisher. Its real significance lies in showing how portable the two-line system could be, something many later handheld fighters never quite figured out. Today it's appreciated mainly by series fans who want Terry on hand at all times, and by players looking for a fighter with simple inputs and fast, few-minute matches. The line-dodging still feels fresh today, since most newer games have abandoned it.